Care Opinion

Text size

Theme

Language

Videos in BSL or ISL
Help with language translation
Help with reading or listening

Unpaid carer taken for granted

Posted By Relative and carer

"Unpaid carer taken for granted"

About: Golden Jubilee National Hospital / Cardiac Surgery Scottish Ambulance Service / Ambulance Control Centre

(as a relative),

Mum was in Clydebank hospital as a day patient to have a stent fitted. It wasn’t as easy as doctors originally planned due to complications but eventually done and released same day. Had to take her there early and spent all day to then bring her home and had to stay with her at home while she recovered for a week. I work permanently so it was very difficult to do both caring for recovering relative and work but I was never spoken to about any other care that could have been given and feel I should have been told all the care alternatives. But I wasn’t engaged with and now I feel resentful and feel the health and care system takes people like me, an unpaid carer for granted and I am a bit angry because of it.

Despite being released as day patient there was arterial bleeding when I got mum home so called for an ambulance but was told there was an hour wait and as mum might have bled out I had to rush her in car to a and e in Paisley RAH which was very difficult and scary for us both. Feeling very traumatised by that and as her carer was offered no support following that traumatic journey to hospital with her. Luckily taking her by car saved her life but if I hadn’t been able to do that she would have died while she waited on an ambulance. I am disgusted that the system is so fragile that ambulances are not available for an emergency like that.

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Hollie Smith, Risk and Feedback Facilitator, Clinical Governance, NHS Golden Jubilee 9 months ago
Hollie Smith
Risk and Feedback Facilitator, Clinical Governance,
NHS Golden Jubilee

Submitted on 31/12/2024 at 12:32
Published on Care Opinion at 12:32

Dear Relative and Carer,

Thank you for taking the time to post about your mother’s recent experience. I am sorry to hear that your mother suffered complications during her procedure and also an arterial bleed. This must have been a scary experience for you both.

I am keen to be able to share your concerns about not being told what care options were available to help mother with our Clinical Nurse Manager (CNM), I can arrange for our CNM to investigate your concerns and call you with the outcome. In order to allow me to have the CNM investigate I would be grateful if you could email the below email address with your mother’s name, date of birth and a contact number for you both please.

I hope your mother is recovering well.

Kind regards

Hollie

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Alan Martin, Clinical Development Manager, National Operations, Scottish Ambulance Service 9 months ago
Alan Martin
Clinical Development Manager, National Operations,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 07/01/2025 at 08:21
Published on Care Opinion at 08:21

picture of Alan Martin

Dear Relative and carer,

Many thanks for taking the time to share your feedback here on CareOpinion. I am so sorry to read about what happened to your mum, I cannot begin to imagine how scary a time that was for you both. I do hope that she is feeling better now and on the road to a full recovery.

I would like to apologise for your experience when phoning 999 for an ambulance, whilst you touched on how fragile the system is - with demand outstripping capacity so often just now and challenges, many of which are outwith our control, we must not settle and must always seek to identify learning and improvement. It sounds like you do an incredible job and certainly did on that day when your mum really needed you but we do not want to let people down and I would be grateful if you allowed us the opportunity to review the call. If your mother consents, and you have the time, would you be able to fill out our feedback form here and we will identify and review the call? If not I fully understand as this was, as you say traumatic for you.

Again, I am so very sorry, please pass on my apologies to your mum also and I wish you both a very happy 2025.

Kind Regards

Alan

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k